Nihil Interit
by greendreams
Summary: Post- New Moon, pre- Eclipse. A newcomer has an interesting family, and piques the interest of the characters in Forks.


When I was a child, it had never made enough sense to me as to why my family always had to live in what seemed like the gloomiest places in the world. We moved often – and always to yet another small town where the sun never shone. I remember always wanting to move to a brighter place, like Florida, so I could swim in the warm heat of the sun.

Of course, I understood their reasoning. If they walked into the sunlight, the people in town would most likely pull out the torches and run us out. But nevertheless, I craved the sun and begged constantly to no avail.

My parents weren't like normal parents, and even growing up in a small, rainy town in New York, people had their suspicions. For one – they looked nearly dead with their alabaster skin. Their eyes were a light yellow color, with an amber tint around the edges – much like a cat's, and they were framed by dark circles, as if they never slept. For parents, they were excruciatingly beautiful, and though I had been raised by them, I still had random moments of awe when I looked into their faces.

As I got into my teens, we had to move more frequently. My parents never aged – my father's dark hair was still thick on his head, and my mother's perfect face never got a wrinkle. When I turned 15, I began to resent them for it, though I knew it wasn't their fault. They would be beautiful forever – and I would just continue to get older. I would pass through the awkward phase of puberty, and while the acne would eventually subside, wrinkles would take their place. I would stop getting taller, and eventually, I would shrink back down just a little bit, like any other human.

But things change.

We were moving again. For the hundredth time in my life, to yet another dreary small town that rarely saw sunlight. Now, at 17, I should be used to it. And I thought I was until I saw the sign for Forks, and an ominous pit settled in my stomach. Something told me to turn back, but when my mother turned to smile at me from the passenger seat, I knew I had to keep going. I would miss Canada, but this was for them.

Forks was exactly how I expected it to be, and everything was located on one main road. I was secretly thankful for that aspect. I happened to be _terrible_ with directions. In the last town we lived in, everything seemed like it was sporadically placed, and though I had lived there for 3 years, I still managed to get lost from time to time. I passed the high school, inwardly groaning as I realized there was more than one building to navigate through.

Our new house was small, located only 3 lefts and a right from that main road. It was painted a pale yellow, with white shutters. I parked the silver family van next to my car at the end of the driveway. My father had driven ahead of us to arrange the house for when we arrived.

The house looked almost exactly like the last house we lived in, with a large wraparound porch, and huge windows. There was a small foyer when you entered through the front door, and a staircase led to the 2nd floor. I carried my small suitcase up to the room at the end of the hall – my room – and plopped it down next to my bed. On the wall above my bed was a painting of the park I had spent a great deal of the past three years in. In fact, as I looked closer, I could see myself standing on the small walking bridge; my long, wavy, toffee-colored hair flowing in the wind behind me.

My mother was a painter. She was ridiculously brilliant, and meticulous. Her attention to detail never ceased to amaze me. I once asked her why she never sold her work to a museum, and she told me simply that if I visited the Louvre, I would see that she had. After telling her that the Louvre was in Paris and I was in Ontario, she had flown me out that weekend to see it. Her earlier work was reminiscent of Michelangelo, but everything she painted now was… well, of me. I brought her "greater inspiration than anything that came before me," she would tell me every time I asked why she didn't paint anything else.

I pulled out my laptop to check my e-mail. I had promised my best friend Liz that I would keep her updated on my move and subsequent life in Forks. She was the only one that had been upset I was leaving. Everyone else was wary of me because of my parents. I couldn't blame them – my parents were intimidating if you hadn't spent enough time with them to get to know them. Liz was the only person who didn't find my parents scary. She told me once that she envied me for them. Hers were too normal - "old and boring," she'd said.

When I logged on I had two unread messages. The first was from Liz, of course, asking if I had arrived yet, and the second was from the school I had attended, letting me know that my transcripts had been transferred to Forks High School. I replied to Liz's message, and then headed down the stairs.

"I want to explore," I said softly when I reached the foyer. No one was around, but I knew my parents had heard me. My father walked in from the kitchen.

"Did you e-mail Liz?" My father had loved Liz. She was a tiny bundle of energy with lots of curly, blonde hair. He was glad that I had found someone my age that I could spend time with, someone _human_. My mother, on the other hand, thought Liz was too comfortable around my parents.

She appeared behind my father, and I could sense the disapproval behind her angelic features. I nodded in response.

"I won't be out late," I promised.

"I don't know if that's a good idea yet, Morgan," my mother said, coming from behind my father and gently laying her small hand on my shoulder.

Frowning, I looked at her. "They won't hurt me, Mom," I reminded her. "I would have felt the aura when I came into town." It was her turn to frown.

"Something bothered you when we passed the sign for Forks," she accused. "I could see your eyes shift." Damn. Leave it to my ultra-perceptive mother to notice something that may as well have been invisible to anyone else.

"It wasn't about them," I whispered dropping my head to look at my feet. I shifted one worn shoe over the other. "Change is coming." Neither of them said anything. I shifted my feet again.

"Can I please go?" I asked, looking up into my father's light eyes. I tried my best to look pathetically adorable, letting my bottom lip move out and quiver, and my green eyes widen. I could see a smile forming behind my father's eyes. He looked at my mother, mimicking my expression. I giggled.

"Alright," she sighed.

I leapt to hug her, pressing my lips against her frozen cheek. "Thank you!" I kissed my father's cheek and headed out of the door.

"Be back before 11!" my mother called after me. "Quit looking at me like that," I heard behind me as I closed the door. Then I heard growling, and a crash. I shook my head. _Parents_.

My blue 1994 probe was sitting in the driveway next to the family van, waiting for me. I had missed driving it down, and was grateful to see that it had a full tank of gas when I got in. I would have to remember to thank Dad for that.

As I drove around town, not much came to my attention. There was a convenience store with a gas station, a gift shop, a diner, and a grocery store. Clearly I would have to travel elsewhere to shop for clothes and books. The town also had a police station, a post office, and of course, two schools. The first, located in town, was the elementary-intermediate school; the second was the high school, which was located farther out of town, but closer to our home. I drove in front of the admissions building, and then around the parking lot before exiting.

"I'll be seeing you tomorrow," I muttered to the deep red brick buildings.

A car drove past me at such a high speed that all I saw was a flash of silver. I knew that speed. I was tempted to follow, but figured since I didn't _really_ know whether or not these vampires were safe, I would keep a distance. Not that it'd matter if they wanted me for lunch, but at least the idea kept the image of my angry parents at bay.

Instead, I decided to follow the main road beyond the turn off toward the house. A few miles down, I saw a sign for La Push beach. I took the turn, and parked in the lot a couple hundred feet from the water. I stepped out of the car and looked around. To my right were trees; to my left were trees. There was less sand and more rocks framing the dark water. _Some beach_, I thought to myself. It had potential, though. I could see myself spending a lot of time there.

After spending a few minutes walking around, I decided I at least needed my notebook if I was going to hang out by the water – it had always inspired my writing. I walked slowly back to my car. As I moved to put the keys in the ignition, I caught something move out of the corner of my eye. I turned my head to get a better look.

"Oh!" I gasped, dropping my keys on the floor. Standing in a clearing, not more than 100 feet from me, was a massive russet-colored wolf. Its eyes met mine, and for a moment, I thought I saw curiosity in them. Then it was gone. It happened so quickly that had I not dropped my keys, I wouldn't have believed I'd really seen it. My stomach gave a jolt; I felt ill at ease. I knew why werewolves existed - there was a tribe in Canada. I would have to tell my parents.

I wondered as I drove home if these local vampires knew there were werewolves in town, or were we just in time to see it all go down in a horrifying mess?

My thoughts ceased the moment I pulled into the drive. There, parked beside the van, were two strange cars. One was black, and the other was – I was sure - the silver car I had seen by the school. I parked next to the silver one and almost dropped my keys again when I realized someone was still sitting in the driver's seat. I tried to see what he looked like, but the tinting in the window prevented me from seeing much more than his eyes, and the outline of his messy hair. He looked over at me curiously, and I guessed that it was because he could smell me. His brow furrowed, and his eyes pierced mine. A jolt of electricity shot through me, and I realized I couldn't tell if it was genuine fear, or if it was something else. I had never felt fear before; I wasn't sure.

I cautiously got out of the car. Why was he staring at me like that? He followed my lead, and I could finally get a good look at him. His messy hair was bronze in color, and it was so carelessly - yet perfectly - tousled to frame his chiseled face. His face was the most beautiful I had seen yet. His strong, intense eyes were framed by thick lashes (and the usual purplish bruise), and his lips were full and red. I would have looked down to see what the rest of him looked like, but his eyes held mine, and honestly, I was happy just looking at that face. Why couldn't humans be that beautiful?

He stepped forward, but kept his distance. "Hello," he started. "My name is Edward Cullen." He smiled, flashing a set of perfect, white teeth. I paused to remember my name.

"I'm Morgan," I said with as much confidence as I could. Why was I turning to putty? I broke from his gaze to look at the trees where I had seen the wolf earlier. "Did you know they're here?" I asked, watching the clearing. He followed my stare, and I realized he probably didn't know that _they_ were werewolves.

"Yes," he replied, before I could add in the word.

"And you're still standing…?"

"There's a treaty."

I studied him for a moment – objectively, of course – before suggesting we go inside. The word treaty was easy enough to understand, and I didn't want to stand under the coming rainclouds. I started for the door, but before I could even walk 3 feet, Edward was standing in front of me.

"What do you think of Forks?" he asked, his eyes appearing curious. I shifted my weight to one side. His question was innocent enough, but I could tell he was keeping me outside for a reason.

"It's dark and wet - nothing I'm not used to," I responded, distracted.

He laughed, and I tried to walk around him. Again, he moved in between me and the front door. I sighed.

"Why don't you want me to go inside?" I asked, somewhat loudly. Suspicion tinted my voice. I wanted to make sure my parents could hear me. He looked toward the house for a moment, before moving aside without responding. I looked at him cautiously as I passed him. Vampires are weird.

When I opened the door, I immediately wondered if he had kept me outside because of the number of vampires that were now in my home. As I walked in, with Edward right behind me, 8 sets of eyes in varying shades of amber were focused on me. In shock, I took a step backward, and into the cold-stone body behind me. I apologized, blushing profusely, and quickened my pace through the foyer. Everyone was seated around our conference hall-style table just beyond the staircase. I smiled warily at the strange vampires, and stood behind my father. They were all watching me with the utmost curiosity and interest.

My father spoke first: "You didn't take long to explore," he stated. His eyes had a protective glare, and I could tell he did not yet trust this coven. I glanced quickly at the six hopelessly beautiful strangers, and then at Edward.

"Forks leaves much to be desired in that department, Dad," I sighed. "It took me ten minutes to see everything in town. The most interesting thing I found was La Push beach…" I didn't want to tell him what I had seen at said beach, although I was sure the others had probably informed him already. He smiled, and then looked around at the curious faces. One of the females was watching me with intensity. She was small, and fragile looking, though obviously not fragile. She has short, choppy black hair, and wide eyes. She reminded me of the pixies I had seen in a childhood fairy tale book. She caught me looking at her and smiled. I couldn't help but smile back.

"This is our daughter, Morgan," he introduced me. The blonde male that sat beside the pixie-vampire looked uncomfortable.

"I'm Carlisle," one of them offered. He sat next to my father, and stood as he introduced himself. He offered his hand, and I took it, shaking it nervously. He looked young, and also had blonde hair, but his smile was warm and welcoming. I felt at ease. I nodded, returning his smile. He turned toward the woman beside him, his eyes not leaving mine. "This is my wife, and my family," he said, looking around at the others.

His wife stood, taking my hand into both of hers and shaking them gently, her auburn hair falling around her shoulders. "My name is Esme," she said. "I am so pleased to meet you."

The others took their turns introducing themselves. Emmett, the large, bear-like one, and Rosalie, the voluptuous blonde were also a couple. The uncomfortable blonde was named Jasper. Alice, the pixie, was the only other one to shake my hand in greeting. Her handshake was a little more vigorous than the rest, and her eyes twinkled excitedly. The rest sat still in their seats. The one named Rosalie looked pensive. I wondered what they thought of my family.

Carlisle looked at Edward, and then back to me. "And I suppose you've already been introduced to Edward," he said, his smile unwavering. I nodded. "I was just telling your parents that you are in no danger when it comes to my family." Relief flooded me internally, and I wondered if it showed on my face. I hadn't thought they would harm me, but with vampires, one could never tell.

My mother spoke next. She had sat unsmiling and quiet on the other side of my father, at a distance from the rest of the room. I could tell she was nervous about me being in a room with so many vampires. She was always worried about me when it came to her kind. Growing up with them had desensitized me to the stigmas, and I appeared unperturbed by their presence. She didn't like that I was unafraid.

"Yes," she said. "And we were telling them, well…" she trailed off. I knew what they were telling them, but even my parents didn't know that I knew the whole story.

I finished her sentence. "How this," I pointed between the three of us, "came to be." She nodded, smiling grimly. I knew it hurt her.

"It's so interesting to us," Carlisle was speaking again. I turned my attention to him. "But also so very strange. Obviously because of the… tendencies we have. Your parents are very strong willed." He was speaking to just me now. I cast a quick look at my mother, and saw a flicker of emotion in her eyes.

"How did it work?" Rosalie asked from beside her partner. Until now, she had been studying her hands in silence, clearly paying no attention to the introductions and formalities around the room. Everyone's eyes turned to her, her family's surprised.

"Rosalie!" Emmett whispered to her, shocked by her question. It wasn't a new question for us - so many had asked it before her. My mother finally smiled.

"It was difficult at first, especially because she was so young and so fragile," she explained, looking directly at Rosalie. "We had to be very careful not to hurt her, and at that time I was only just abstaining from human blood. Robert had to do most of the work in the beginning." She winced, and my father took her hand. He murmured slightly, just for her ears. Her face softened.

He looked around at the curious faces, and then into mine. "I'll hope you don't think me rude," he began, "but perhaps it'd be best if we continued this conversation at a later time." He was still looking at me, and I realized that he hadn't given them the details he had worked so hard to keep from me. Guilt panged through my chest.

The others agreed, and Rosalie reluctantly nodded with them. I looked over to Edward. I had forgotten he was even there. He stood at the farthest edge of the room, close to the staircase, and away from the rest of us. His eyes were focused in my direction, but when mine caught them, he quickly looked away.

My parents exchanged goodbyes with the Cullen family, and Alice approached me, smiling.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she said, her eyes still sparkling. Where would I see her tomorrow?

"We go to school still," Edward said. He was standing with us now, the three of us separate from everyone else. Thank you for clarifying that, Edward. I ignored the smile in his eyes.

"Why on earth do you still go to school?" I asked. I couldn't fathom why anyone would _want_ to be in high school. Edward laughed.

"It gives us something to do."

He smiled, and then said goodbye, casting a look at his sister. She smiled sheepishly, and followed him, turning her head on the way out of the door to wave. My parents closed the door behind our visitors, and looked at me expectantly. I looked at the clock, and realized that it was time for bed. I kissed them both quickly, wishing them goodnight, and running to get ready for bed.

I laid there, my body slowly becoming more relaxed, and let Edward's face pierce my mind. Questions assaulted my brain from every direction, but there was only one I cared about: where was Edward's partner? Theories circled my mind as I drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep.


End file.
